Author: M. R. Pilot

In all the excitement (excitement on my part, at least!) following the re-release of A Bloodline’s Echo, I’ve forgotten to post!

So…book one of The Avadi Series is back on Amazon, this time with a print version available. I’ve read it again—of course—which made me really, really giddy to dig into book two. I have so much planned…AHH! & I can’t wait to continue Cori’s story as well as the rest of the Avadi’s.

I’m still drafting The Curse of Luma—brief pause while traveling, which hurt, lemme tell you—which complicates matters. Random dialogue and plot points for both stories ping in my mind sporadically, making my jittery excitement sway between the two. I can’t work on them simultaneously, though. The reason being that Luma’s voice is vastly different from Cori’s.

I love them both. They both have so much to tell. Their worlds are so vivid and so…opposite.

Little hints:

I’d planned for The Curse of Luma to be a stand-alone book, but it could easily become a duology or a trilogy. Also, lots of potential for spin-off stories with side characters.

I love The Legend of Zelda-type adventures. Do you? Concerning The Avadi Series…well, I hope Cori does, too.

I’ve realized something. While writing is fun, the trying-to-expose-the-story/marketing is not so fun. The joy is in writing. Sometimes that joy is sheathed in sweat or tears, but it’s joy all the same.

In other news, Luma’s cover artwork is done and is breathtakingly beautiful. A small glimpse of it on this post. ☺️

So, I made a conscious decision to let The Avadi Series rest while A Bloodline’s Echo is being edited—because even stories need beauty sleep, right?

That being said, my fingers aren’t partaking in nap time. They’re itchier than ever and writing—ahem, typing—is the only satisfying scratch. They’ve been mowing away at an entirely new story, currently titled The Curse of Luma. It started as a breather/in-between-takes kind of story, but I’ve fallen in love with it.

It’s vastly different from my first book. The texture, feel, characters and voices don’t mimic A Bloodline’s Echo in any regard, but it’s just as fun. And, it’s coming along quickly. Which means…

Plotting has begun for The Avadi Series Book Two (who am I kidding, it’s been plotted since midway through the first one!) and I’ll be diving into it soon. The wait shouldn’t be too treacherous!

My fingers have exhibited seriously impressive story-crafting stamina; my brain…well, that part of my body requires help in the form of excessive caffeine. But that’s no problem. I have lots of it. In fact, I just ground up expresso roast coffee beans. I didn’t mean to buy whole beans, but purchased them all the same, which led to yet another purchase of a coffee grinder.

First freshly-brewed cup of said beans was enjoyed by my carpet, courtesy of my biggest & cuddliest furbaby. All in all, my house smells lovely.

A plunge more striking than being hit by Alaska’s cold water. Well, that’s debatable…but, anyway, I published my book via KDP. It was surprisingly smooth and easy, but no less exciting.

…And then there were typos.

Okay, not just typos. I’m an excitable person, and I think some of my descriptions may expose me for it.

As much as I love A Bloodline’s Echo as it is, Kindle gave me a new format to pick up on things I missed in my Word Doc. Just little snags, areas a bit too wordy, etc. I can admit there is room to make it smoother, and, most importantly, an even more compelling read.

I’m taking an out-of-sequence step and finding the perfect freelance editor for a fresh set of eyes. I hope that through this experience, not only will Cori’s story shine brighter, but that it will make me a better writer as a whole.

I thought I was prepared for it. Instead, the following emotions were as strong as they were conflicted. I didn’t sleep a wink.

Emotion 1: Relief. The product is final. I’ve made the decision to conclude my editing, and there it is. Now I won’t be compelled to spend every waking hour scrutinizing the words, and loathing every single thing that impedes me from doing so. Who cares if anyone likes it, anyway? I had so much fun writing it, it doesn’t matter. *exaggerated sigh*

Emotion 2:Exhilaration. I really did it! I’ve been working on it for months and months, and at times thought I’d never finish—but I did! Now I can work on the rest of the series, and even some of the side projects that have my fingers itching! I love writing! *hyperventilating*

Emotion 3: Regret. …Wait, people can actually read it? Like real people? What if it’s a complete mess? What if they hate my characters? What if it’s an utter piece of crap, and I’m too jaded to realize it? What have I done? *stares at the floor in shock*

Emotion 5: Acceptance. This one is still coming along, but it’s breaking through. It’s a “what’s done is done” kind of thing. If the readers—if there are any—enjoy it, I’ll meet a bliss I’ve never known. If they don’t, well… it’s my first novel. I can improve my writing, because there is one concrete truth in all of this:

I will keep writing.

A BLOODLINE’S ECHO is LIVE! It’s also free until January 5th. So, at no cost other than precious time, you may validate 1+ of the previously mentioned emotions.

I feel that writing a story is, conditionally, similar to taking a lengthy road trip. Here are the two most important conditions for this analogy: 1.) The author is always the driver, and 2.) The driving (writing) process is work, yes, but it’s not so mind-numbing. For this analogy, let’s say driving is magical.

So, I’m driving, leading my story to where it needs to go. And a drive it is; teleportation is not an option. Although I can’t make it instantaneously, I know my destination. I know where I want to stop and enjoy the scenery. I have a pretty good idea of where my roadblocks and pitfalls can be found; I even know what my destination looks like.

I’ve a hand-drawn map lying across my dashboard and a Grande Soy Vanilla Latte in my cup holder. I don’t bother gluing my eyes to my map. After all – I drew it, didn’t I? And if I pay too much attention to it, I’ll miss the beauty of the drive. So, I become immersed in it, happy to be lost in the journey. But sometimes I reel myself in, glance over to my guide…and I don’t recognize the road I’m on.

What? I didn’t plan this place; I didn’t even know it existed! …but it’s totally fine. It’s better, even. I didn’t know this character had this depth to them. I didn’t know this conflict would arise.

I’m still learning what exactly it is that inspires me. Sometimes I find myself surprised by how lost I can be in building a world – each blade of grass, the scent the wind carries, etc. – while sitting on my very plain, unexciting couch.

A trend I’ve begun to notice is that my senses, even things I’m not wholly conscious of, make their way into my words. If I smell something delicious, I might unwittingly incorporate that aroma somewhere. If a vibrant leaf catches my eye, a similar object might become part of my story, and may even snowball into a piece of vital symbolism.

The flame sometimes sways in a direction I had not predetermined, but I follow it anyway.

…I take that back; my couch is unexciting to me, but is quite exciting to one of my dogs. If not covered by hoards of blankets, she rips into the fabric as if a treasure might be hiding in the midst of the plush. So, I have an irreversibly damaged sofa and use blankets as band-aids.